


Hell on Earth

by Kikowa



Category: Durarara!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Zombie Apocalypse, Angst, Bonding, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Lots of it, M/M, Major Character Injury, Shizaya - Freeform, Slow Build, Trauma, Zombies, but not regular zombies, guess who dies
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-25
Updated: 2019-03-19
Packaged: 2019-08-07 07:38:55
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 15,984
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16404128
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kikowa/pseuds/Kikowa
Summary: For the first time in what feels like forever Shizuo feels as if it isn’t him who is the monster, but everybody else. He feels deceptively human; like somehow everything happening has changed his status and relieved him of the curse that’s haunted him almost his entire life.--Ikebukuro becomes a hell on earth when a (not quite) zombie apocalypse destroys the comfortable chaos it's used to. Some manage to survive but not everyone is always so lucky.





	1. Left Behind

**Author's Note:**

> Hello lovelies! 
> 
> Something about the genre of zombie apocalypses has me coming back every time; this time with something new. I really enjoy the idea of Shizuo and Izaya sort of having to depend on each other for survival, so here I am with the content. 
> 
> For reference, the 'zombies' in this fic are based on the ones from the game The Last of Us. They're based off of a real fungus that can sort of control the minds of insects. So while I will go into explanations later in the fic about them, if you're unfamiliar or want to have more of a head start or are just curious, you can always look them up in the Last of Us wiki. It should also be noted that I will be changing a few statistics about them, but nothing major.
> 
> Happy reading! ☆

No amount of fighting could ever prepare Shizuo for this moment. No matter how many people he’d defended himself against; no matter how many times he’d let his fists collide with another person or how often he had used excessive force, he’d never seen something so obscenely grotesque in his life. Violence was the cursed name in which the universe so cruelly bestowed upon his being, and yet still his existence was greatly lacking in comparison to the images that had so quickly taken over his recent memories. Shizuo’s skin was pale in comparison to its usual tone, making him look almost sick. It wasn’t far off either. His stomach curled uncomfortably in his abdomen, recoiling of its own volition every time his mind flashed back to what he had seen.

 

“Shizuo...” Shinra’s voice cut through the veil of shock that had been blanketing Shizuo’s mind, giving him an opening to peer back into the present and focus on it more firmly than he’d dared to until now. Something in him had shut down, but finally it was as if his brain was coming back online, registering the fact that he was no longer in danger; no longer frozen at the sight of—

 

Honey hues came into focus as the blond sucked in a deep breath, the burning in his lungs slowly fading as they finally got the oxygen they had been screaming for. In front of him, Celty’s phone illuminated the dark features of his face, finally able to get him to focus long enough to ask him what it was he had witnessed.

 

[What happened?] She had written, the tilt of her shoulders and neck telling of her inquiring curiosity.

 

“...It’s chaos out there,” Shizuo said lowly, his voice gruff and harsh, but slowly gaining back emotion as he processed what he’d seen. He didn’t know how to describe it other than that. Ikebukuro had fallen prey to something far worse than the lowly fights between color gangs, monsters, and the meddling of Orihara Izaya. Outside there was sirens, fading in and out as they passed through the streets which had eventually become more and more empty as people were warned to stay inside and away from one another. Never had they been in such a strange state of emergency, and finding out why just wasn’t a question so easily answered as the world they knew devolved into an ugliness almost indescribable.

 

Shizuo’s words brought a heavy tension to the room. Around him were people he recognized, some more than others, but none of them expected. He supposed he wasn’t the only one to find comfort and reassurance in the home of Shinra and Celty. They’d gained their own tight-knit group of friends they could rely on and in a time such as this it was no shocker that they came together. It was silly, but strangely wholesome even with the growing chaos outside.

 

“Seems like things are getting worse,” the voice of Kadota finally broke the tense silence, bringing their attention away from Shizuo which he was grateful for, “We only arrived just a few minutes before you did and things weren’t much better. People are murdering each other. I don’t know what their problem is but it’s like everyone is either running or killing. And it’s not like stabbing someone and walking away. They’re really mauling them before they move on.”

 

For the first time in what feels like forever Shizuo feels as if it isn’t him who is the monster, but everybody else. He feels deceptively human; like somehow everything happening has changed his status and relieved him of the curse that’s haunted him almost his entire life. The idea is comforting, but guilt settles in Shizuo’s stomach at the thought because how could he ever take comfort from the suffering of others. The definition of the word ‘monster’ was a broad one, but one that Shizuo was confident did not exclude those who benefited happily from the misfortune of those around them. He wasn’t that kind of man, and in the end he surmised that it wouldn’t matter how human he was if there was no one left alive to acknowledge that side of him.

 

Outside, the commotion seemed to have reached a peak as a large boom echoed through the city, several more accompanying them. The windows of the underground doctor’s apartment rattled heavily from the force, but as the moment passed the realization of what had happened seemed to hit all of them at once.

 

“They’re bombing the city?!” Yumasaki was the first to speak, his voice caught somewhere between horror and elation. Erika seemed to share a similar expression, giving away the delusional ideas that were meant to only grace the pages of story books. But the overwhelming reality of it soon hit them, and unlike the supernatural events they’d experienced in the past this one was nothing short of terrifying.

 

Three more bombs dropped from overhead, and suddenly the tense but calm meeting they were having was forgotten as panic invaded them.

 

“We need to leave, now.” Kadota said, and suddenly everyone was nodding in agreement. They scattered to grab their things, Shinra speaking hurriedly to Celty about a few important things he wanted to bring in case they needed them.

 

“I can’t fit everybody in the van, but Masaomi, Ryugamine, Anri and Saki can squeeze in with us. We’ll make it work until we can leave Ikebukuro.” Togusa offered, and Celty was quick to type a response.

 

[Shinra and Shizuo can ride with me.]

 

Shooter was plenty capable of taking on a form that would fit the three of them, and Shizuo was confident they could make this work. He was grateful to his friends, more than glad he had made the decision to stop by there instead of risking making it all the way home. He was sure now he wouldn’t have made it. Too many people were panicking, and he’d barely managed to get to Shinra’s without much trouble. He’d seen far too much; wild and irrational non-human violence as people went at each other with an animalistic hunger.

 

Shizuo shuddered, something that went unnoticed as those around him grabbed their things. He didn’t have anything much himself, just his phone, wallet, and keys to his apartment that he pocketed every day. Seeing Shizuo’s empty hands Shinra filled them with a case, its contents clanging carelessly together as it was practically thrown at him.

 

“Hold that. It’s my extra supplies. I don’t want to think that we’ll need them but if we do we won’t be caught empty handed,” he told him. The smile he gave Shizuo felt greatly out of place, but that thought was fleeting as the next moment they were plunged into darkness.

 

All at once they stopped what they were doing, and for a moment no one made a move or spoke a word as they looked towards where the glass doors leading to the small balcony were. Outside the city lights were missing, and the only illumination left was of that coming from the fires left behind by the bombs and riots. Shizuo could feel his heart pounding in his chest with unease, something he was unfamiliar with to this extent. He was a rational man, he didn’t believe nightmares like this to be capable of being real.

 

[Let's go!]

 

The light from Celty’s phone broke up the darkness and gained their attention, pulling all of them back from the overwhelming sense of danger. Mikado had had his own phone in his hands, and had been typing furiously back and forth up until that moment. He looked confused at first, and then as if he’d suddenly become lost without a direction to go in.

 

“Even cell service is down,” he spoke up, Anri, being the only one to really acknowledge that statement as she encouraged him to head for the door with the rest of them, “We can’t get help if we need it. It all depends on us.”

 

 _It’s true_ , Shizuo thought to himself. The scale of horror happening out there was far too broad to offer them any sort of hope for help, and more than that it seemed to be getting worse. Shizuo quickly put the thought to the side, shaking his head.

 

What was important now was getting downstairs and to the vehicles. Shizuo snatched up another bag from Shinra, giving him the order to lead the way as he shouldered the load of both bags of supplies. With his strength it wasn’t an issue, and all of them followed the doctor hurriedly down the flights of stairs. It winded them immensely, but even in their exhaustion they didn’t pause to rest. Togusa showed the teens to his van and Shooter had pulled up in front of Celty the moment she had gotten there. She placed a kind hand to the motorbike, and a second later it had melted into a mass of shadows and smoke before it settled into the dark image of a headless horse and carriage.

 

“Place the bags in the back with us Shizuo,” Shinra said, still partially catching his breath. Despite the sounds of people screaming nearby and the collapsing boom of buildings further away Shinra was still smiling. He wasn’t terrified. He was a bit unnerved it was obvious, but looking at Celty and talking to her Shizuo could see the doctor trusted that they would protect each other. The bond between them was too strong for either of them to let the end of the world sever it.

 

The area around them felt off as they were able to gather themselves together without running into very many people. It was obvious they weren’t the first to leave, and a few stragglers were speeding off towards what would hopefully be salvation. Those who didn’t have a vehicle walked, but it became horrifyingly apparent then that those who walked also died.

 

“Help me! Please!” Came a shrill scream from the entrance of the parking garage. Joining her pleas for help were the cries of a toddler, and Shizuo didn’t hesitate as he hurried over, concern written on his stern features.

 

“What happened, are you hurt?” He asked her, noting the red soaking her shoulder. Shinra joined him and taking the little boy from her arms with a reassuring smile he handed him to Shizuo.

 

“I’m a doctor,” the blond could hear him saying, asking her again what had happened. Their conversation sounded so much further away as Shizuo tried to focus, but even the loud crying next to his ear was deafened by the sudden surge of adrenaline that seemed to suddenly overwhelm him. 

 

He acted on instinct, rushing as he joined Shinra back at the carriage where he was ready to treat the woman’s injury. It vaguely registered in his mind that she was still hysterical, traumatized that someone had bitten her in an attempt to get at her son. None of it mattered then as Shizuo placed the toddler in the carriage and gripped Shinra’s upper arm with bruising force.

 

“We have to leave right this second,” he said, looking unnerved but calm despite his rush.

 

“In just a minute, I need to finish wrapping her shoulder, she—“

 

“No, I mean it. If we don’t we’re going to be ambushed.”

 

The doctor looked confused, tilting as he tried to see around Shizuo. He wasn’t really sure what he meant by ambushed, but the woman in front of him grew visibly more terrified.

 

“No, there’s more! These people have lost their minds! They’ll kill us!” She shouted.

 

Shizuo wanted more than anything for her to shut up in that moment, but at the very least she seemed to get Shinra moving finally. They climbed into the carriage together, Kadota and the others pulling up in the van with perfect timing.

 

“We need to get out of Ikebukuro,” Kadota spoke loudly, his face full of apprehension and uncertainly in his decision, “In fact I think we need to leave Tokyo all together.”

 

The idea of leaving their beloved home didn’t sit well in any of their stomachs. It was bitter and sour, leaving a taste in their mouths that almost had them reconsidering. Would they ever be able to come back? The question was never spoken aloud but all of them heard it.

 

In the end they agreed with nothing more than nods and looks of determination, the need to survive hardening their resolve to do what they needed to. With only seconds to spare they tore out of the parking garage. Behind them, those who seemed to be out of their mind ran into the garage, filling up the space they left behind as they picked off those who couldn’t get away in time.

 

Shizuo stared for only a moment before he turned away. The ones that ran were vicious and unrelenting, acquiring a speed greater than a regular person. His heart felt heavy with the guilt of leaving anybody behind without attempting to help them but if they were to keep themselves safe then they had no choice. They had managed to bring with them the woman and her child, and to Shizuo that was better than nothing at all. Both cried as they rode along through the streets, and it seemed just to be another all too common sound echoing through Ikebukuro, melding with the cries of others as the city fell apart around them, lost to the carnage and relentless fires.

 

They were lucky. It was several minutes before they finally had come to a stop. The mother and her son had stopped crying for the time being, hushed by the false presentation of safety they felt at not being alone anymore.

 

“Celty?” Shinra spoke up, standing and leaning forward so he could get a look ahead of them. Togusa had stopped the van as well, both of them blocked by several abandoned vehicles and debris. It was blocking all lanes of traffic, and with no way to go around to be out of the city Shizuo knew what it meant.

 

He didn’t hesitate to jump out of the carriage, Shooter giving an almost distressed sounding neigh despite the lack of any head or mouth for which it to originate. Shizuo was thankful for its concern, patting him with practiced kindness so as not to hurt it.

 

“I’m going to clear a path,” he informed both of his friends, ignoring the obvious concern brewing between them, “This is the fastest way out of here. With my strength it won’t take but a few minutes.”

 

“We could always turn back,” Shinra offered, but Shizuo shook his head immediately.

 

“No, those things are back there and I guarantee you they aren’t just sitting around. Stop wasting time arguing and let me do what I’m good at.”

 

There was a brief pause between them. Shinra almost looked like he was contemplating something but the look on his face soon shifted to one that was almost happy as he nodded in acceptance. The doctor was more than aware of the situation at hand, and he had never been one to step in the way of his friend’s determination regardless of the situation. He understood without having to be told that it needed to be done.

 

Without time to spare Shizuo gave a nod to Celty, making sure he acknowledged her unspoken worry for his safety before he jogged ahead. He gave a wave to Kadota, and without waiting for the knowing nod he would get in return he turned his back to them, letting out a heavy breath to steady himself. Usually his acts of strength were fueled by a rage he couldn’t control, but he greatly appreciated the times when he could use it to help someone rather than hurt them. It meant so much more then; like it was irrefutable evidence that he wasn’t just some monster with a curse, but rather perhaps a gift he could use to save his friends with. 

 

Bending down, Shizuo grabbed a hold underneath the front of a car. The vehicle was heavy, requiring a bit more effort than what Shizuo was accustomed to, but in the end it was still no issue. He lifted the front off the ground and towards the level of his waist, heaving a loud grunt as he tossed it. Easily it shifted, and just like that it was far enough out of the way he didn’t have to worry about it anymore. It took several minutes, but before long he had nearly cleared the way.

 

It was only as he was lifting a rather large piece of debris up that he paused. The air around them suddenly felt electrified, seeming to alert all of them to the impending danger. Behind them screams could be heard, but not the same terrified shouts that would come from a normal person. They were the screams of the infected; full of bloodlust and hunger. It sent a shiver down Shizuo’s spine, the blond readjusting his grip on the debris he held. 

 

“Go!!” He shouted, nodding with his head in the direction forward. Togusa didn’t hesitate, slamming his foot on the gas as they took off. Celty on the other hand was hesitating, the woman in the carriage back to her original state of hysterics as the small herd drew near.

 

[Put that down and let’s go!] The dullahan aimed her phone towards Shizuo, and while he couldn’t really make it out he knew exactly what she wanted of him, to which he shook his head.

 

“Go ahead a ways and wait for me. If we don’t stop these guys now and we get stuck again then we’re as good as dead. I can handle this small amount, go!”

 

Shizuo’s voice was demanding, but it didn’t lack that bit of kindness that lingered in the background. It was not as reassuring as he wanted it to be given the circumstances, but Celty had seen many times before how capable he was. She trusted him, and it was only because she had Shinra and their two refugees with them that she finally conceded.

 

Shooter reared back and gave an eerie neigh before he took off, following in the direction of Kadota and the others. Shizuo watched them as they went, almost needing to make sure they were safe as they turned the corner. 

 

“We’ll wait for you, Shizuo-kun!” Shinra’s voice rang out just before they disappeared, but Shizuo had heard it, and he trusted that they would indeed let him catch up.

 

With no time to dwell on it, Shizuo returned his attention to the runners that were heading in his direction. They were an unsettling sight to behold; covered in blood and occasionally chunks of...flesh. It made the blond nauseous just to think about, but thankfully he didn’t have to. What had gotten into these people he didn’t know, but if they were going to attack him with the intent to kill then he was sure they must be prepared to die. It was only fair.

 

With a loud grunt Shizuo threw the debris he had yet to set aside, using it to crush five of the runners. There was the crunching sound of their bodies breaking with the force of the heavy object, blood pooling around it. There was only two left now, and with nothing easily accessible close by Shizuo put his fists up. 

 

They came at him without any real thought to their movements, each of them running almost desperately as they lunged forward. The first one to get within range reached for the front of Shizuo’s clothes, but before it could even hope to grab him he hit it with a right hook, right into the side of his head. Blood erupted as the blond felt the other’s bones give way under the force. Just like that he was sent flying to the left, and Shizuo didn’t stop as the other two followed. He took a step forward for each one, throwing his left fist and then his right again to subdue them in much the same manner as the first. In a matter of only minutes it had come to an end, all of them dead and laying wherever they landed. 

 

Guilt settled heavily in the debt collector’s chest as he surveyed the damage. He’d never killed anyone before, and certainly never would he chose to do so in such violent ways; however, he wasn’t sure there was any other way he could have stopped them. They didn’t listen to reason. They growled and screamed, words lost to them as they knew only this violent nature that had replaced who they once were. They almost weren’t human anymore, the only indication of them ever being so the pained and tortured expression on their faces that made him wonder if there was a chance they could be inside somewhere. 

 

Nausea churned at his stomach again at the thought, and Shizuo had to look away from the gruesome mess  _he_  had made. It didn’t do any good to think about it, and honestly it still wouldn’t give him answers. If he was to survive all of this then it was better to ignore it. He promised himself that when this was all over he would repent somehow for what he’d done. 

 

It was a somewhat comforting thought, allowing him to move on and concentrate on catching up with his friends now. He broke into a light run, moving quickly without over exerting himself for the time being. Shizuo followed around the corner where they had turned, heading straight while keeping an eye out. Something like a headless horse should be easy to spot, even in the chaos of the city as it burned through the night, but suddenly it was as if they were gone. Worry gnawed at him now as he circled around, checking out the nearby area before moving further along. They were nowhere to be found, not a trace of them left.

 

After twenty minutes of searching Shizuo stopped where he was, panting heavily as he caught his breath. His worry morphed into fear as he stood alone in the rubble-filled streets of Ikebukuro. His friends were gone, lost in this hellish nightmare and leaving him to fend for himself. He didn’t blame them. Whatever their reasoning was for not waiting he was sure it was good. They must have been in danger, he knew, but it did nothing to ease the overwhelming sense of being left behind during this terrifying ordeal. Heiwajima Shizuo was not beyond loneliness, nor was he impervious to feeling unsure. 

 

Where he would go from here he wasn’t sure, but he prayed his journey would reward him in the end.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That's it for chapter one!
> 
> Next chapter will include our favorite informant. ( ͡~ ͜ʖ ͡°) 
> 
> If you liked this story so far be sure to leave a kudos and/or comment. I really enjoy hearing your feedback and it's always super nice to get some encouragement. ☆


	2. Alone no More

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again,
> 
> Here's chapter two for you, a couple of days ahead of schedule. 
> 
> Enjoy! ☆

The fires throughout Tokyo had lasted five days before finally burning themselves out. Izaya was sure they would destroy everything; thankfully in the end the damage wasn’t nearly what he expected it to be. Plenty of buildings and shops had been destroyed, but there were many left standing and even untouched. He’d expected the eradication of a city to be much more thorough, even if he was thankful for their negligence that allowed him to survive. However, as luck would have it he wasn’t the only one; those things had also survived.

Thousands of people and monsters alike had been killed in the bombings of Tokyo and its districts, and Shinjuku had been no exception. It had caught Izaya off guard the night it happened, leaving him startled to hear the bombs dropping and the panic down below in the streets. He could watch it all from the view of his large window, and at first he had, wondering what was going on that would cause such immediate commotion. But it became glaringly obvious that what was happening was not on a simple scale. More bombs dropped from above, and the crowds below morphed into something unsettling.

Monsters. 

Despite his love for mischief and mayhem Izaya saw no beauty in the destruction of human kind in its entirety. This was too much; too many dead or dying for it to be fun or interesting.

Quickly Izaya’s mind flashed to Ikebukuro and its current state, he’d moved to his desk to pull up a browser but sixty seconds later everything was gone. His computer shut down, the power lost to the entire area. The only light in his apartment now was from the glow of his laptop and the fires nearby, all of which were growing uncomfortably closer. As much as he hated the idea he knew that he would have to leave what he considered to be the safety of home.

It had been almost a week since then, and finally Izaya had made it to Ikebukuro. He’d grabbed only what he needed before leaving, gathering more along the way. The bag he carried on his back had a few bottles of water, high-energy snacks, and his knives. He’d also brought his phone and charger, but with the city devoid of any power it was unlikely he’d ever have a use for them again. Besides, who would he talk to? The only things that seemed to be left were the monsters and while some of them looked human, the way they ate the flesh of others suggested otherwise.

Izaya’s stomach did an uncomfortable flip at the thought. Humans killing humans was normal. It happened every day; accidents and murders alike, but to watch these creatures with human masks gorge themselves on the flesh of people was sickening. It was pure irony to think that those who were killed and eaten were the lucky ones, but the informant considered the alternative to be far worse. Those who weren’t killed were infected, and within two days they would be just like the other creatures roaming about. By now he had noticed a few variations between them. The infection was more advanced in some people, and they tended to be more dangerous because of it.

Most notably though was the type of infection. Izaya was no scientist or doctor, but traveling through the city and defending himself against these things had given him helpful insight on what was afflicting the human race. He’d determined by the third day that it was a fungus when he had a run in with a particularly disturbing creature. The infection had become so bad that it was growing over the face of the poor individual. It rendered them blind, which Izaya might have thought was useful if it hadn’t been for its other changes. They developed a crude sense of echolocation, more aggressive than before as they stalked around stores and buildings, clicking to find their way around. They weren’t impossible to get past, but it made it increasingly more difficult to find someplace safe to rest in. Izaya hadn’t dared to sleep the last couple of days because of it, bordering on sheer exhaustion. He could feel the weight of it hit him full force now that he had reached Ikebukuro, but he couldn’t rest just yet.

Let’s just hope Shinra was able to hold out, the informant thought to himself, not for the first time. The whole reason for his journey was riding on the hope that Shinra had managed to survive. The guy wasn’t particularly useful in a fight, but Izaya was sure his mind would come in handy, if not his medical expertise. Not to mention he would most likely be with Celty. There wasn’t a doubt in Izaya’s mind that sticking alongside her would render him safer than anything else. He’d didn’t make a habit of admitting it but Izaya was a coward and he knew it. He always played both sides, making sure no matter what he would win because the prospect of losing went against his instincts for self preservation.

He had a couple hours more of walking before he would reach their apartment. Somewhere in the back of his mind he reminded himself that the building might have been demolished in the bombings, but he promptly ignored it in favor of blind hope at this point. Other than Shinra, Izaya didn’t have many directions to choose from. Namie hadn’t shown up for work the day of the break out and all of his other connections had gone quiet. Not that he had a way of getting a hold of them other than searching on foot. He’d briefly considered going to see if he could find Shiki, but he was more than sure he and the other Awakusu-kai executives would be busy making sure their boss and his family survived. He couldn’t be certain but Izaya surmised most yakuza groups would have an upper hand. They had better weapons at their disposal after all.

For the next couple of hours Izaya walked along quietly. He kept up a good pace, but the need for sleep was pulling his eyes closed more than he was comfortable with. He was worried he’d make a mistake at this rate, perhaps having a runner or a stalker spot him first. The thought made him nervous. It was practically a death sentence at this point. He was only all too aware of the risk to his life should he have another run in before reaching Shinra, and hopefully relative safety. 

Thankfully, Izaya arrived at the apartment building without incident. It looked just as it should, with the exception of the pools of blood here and there and the splatter of flesh near the base of the entryway. Besides the gruesome leftovers there didn’t seem to be anyone around, not that he expected them to be obvious about their presence. It didn’t take a genius to figure out that the first step to surviving nowadays was to keep a low profile.

“Great, now to get inside,” Izaya spoke aloud to himself. With no power the elevator was out of the question, so the informant took to the stairs. Honestly he’d liked the idea of high-level apartments much more when they still had use of the lifts. Any other day it wouldn’t be a problem, but at this stage of exhaustion his legs felt like they would give out before long. Still, he didn’t stop, climbing the stairs with weighted steps until he reached the fifth floor. It was there that he paused. Shinra’s apartment was on the eighth floor but something had made him stop. A violent shudder ran down his spine, the hairs on his arms standing on end.

Something was wrong.

Pausing just before he reached the top of the stairs, Izaya peeked into the hall. His heart beat heavily in his chest as he tried to get a good look in the dim lighting. There he spotted them, two clickers meandering about in the hallway. They dragged their feet as they stumbled about, their occasional throaty click-like chirps sending another violent shiver down his spine.

Fuck—he was truly fucked if he was caught. He’d happened across these types before and they were ruthless once they’d honed in on their prey. Their blindness didn’t hinder them once they knew you were there, too desperate for a meal to focus on anything else.

Izaya let out a silent breath as he paused to think. The fact that the building had a couple of dangerous infected didn’t negate the possibility that Shinra was upstairs a few more floors, holding out in his apartment. And with Celty they could probably avoid them. He was so close to finding out if they were there or not that he just couldn’t justify walking away at this point. He was going to have to sneak past them.

Cursing whatever cruel being that had thrown him into this miserable existence, Izaya stood up straight again. Silently he crept forward, each step feeling like an eternity as he slowly walked closer to the infected. It was utterly terrifying being this close. The informant was a breath away from what could possibly be his death and yet he couldn’t help but to get a good look at the creatures. Whatever humanity had been there before was destroyed by the fungus. Their faces were covered; blocked almost entirely as the infection invaded them. They were ugly, he surmised, and not at all the kind of monsters he preferred to associate with.

Further and further Izaya slowly crept, not once stopping despite his legs shaking ever so slightly. He could feel the beads of sweat tickling down the sides of his head, making his dark hair stick to the skin there. He was so close to the ascending stairs now that he wanted to make a run for it, but he didn’t dare. The sound would alert the infected to his presence, and then it would be all over.

Finally—finally, Izaya made it to the stairs. His heart was beating so fast he thought it might actually give out. He didn’t worry about it though, silently climbing the stairs as fast as he could to get away. It wasn’t until he got to the top and could inspect the hallway for its lack of monsters before he let out a heavy breath, leaning back against a wall and sliding down. He needed a moment to collect himself, getting his breath back as he tried to think of anything else other than how close he could have come to dying.

He didn’t want to die.

Even now when things had gone to shit and real monsters roamed the streets. He was a coward; curious and wanting to see the other side but not wanting to commit.

Izaya sighed, his breath steady and his heart calmer. Right now none of it mattered. Two more floors until he reached Shinra’s apartment; two more floors until he could finally rest. It was with that in mind that he kept climbing, more careful this time so as to not disturb whatever creatures might be lurking. He was lucky, reaching the eighth floor without another incident.

The relief flooded his veins, draining him of any energy he had left as he hurried to the door, leaning heavily against it as he listened. Nothing could be heard from inside, but that still didn’t mean they weren’t there. He took a breath, raising his fist as he knocked. He was gentle about it, but made sure it was loud enough that it could be heard inside.

“Shinra?” He called, just as careful about the volume of his voice, “God, Shinra, open up. I’ve come all this way to see you despite the end of the world, the least you could do is let me in for a cup of tea.”

Izaya’s voice was falsely calm, laced with exhaustion and desperation. Shinra would easily be able to hear it, and Izaya knew that. He’d hoped it would get the other to answer sooner, but the answer never came. The only response Izaya got was silence, and he couldn’t help but to laugh sourly as he turned, leaning against the door with his back and sliding down to sit.

He’d known all along it was a long shot, that Shinra was more likely to be gone than hanging out in his apartment while monsters ran rampant. The only problem then was deciding where the other would go from here. Wherever it was Celty would be by his side. The both of them were lucky. He’d barely admit it to himself but Izaya was jealous. Before everything had fallen apart he'd been happy. He was never alone; millions of people existing around him on a daily basis.

Not anymore.

Izaya hadn’t seen a single living human being in four days, and the idea that he would never get to again was haunting. Everything that he loved was taken from him in a matter of hours and it left behind a bitterness he wasn’t used to. He’d like to find whoever caused all of this; he’d like to really pick their brain to find out how it was they could think such a creation could possibly be warranted. And then he’d like to end them personally. Izaya never got his hands dirty, but if it were to eradicate the last human on earth and that human was the one who caused all of this then he would gladly do so under such circumstances.

But for now he was left with nothing; left only with his own disparaging thoughts as he attempted to come up with a new plan. Where did he go from here? He could leave a note, hoping by some impossible chance that Shinra will happen to see it, but then what? He could tell him where he went but there was no security in that. Nowhere was safe forever. He could leave a trail of notes but none of that guaranteed anything.

The only guarantee in life was death, after all. 

Izaya let out a long and shaky breath, hanging his head in defeat. He was too weak; too tired to move from his spot on the floor just yet. He had all the time in the world at the moment, but he couldn’t think of anything productive to do with it. Just surviving wouldn’t be enough. If in the end it turned out all he could do was struggle to live another day, day after day...he wasn’t sure he wanted that. Logically it didn’t make sense to fight for nothing other than to simply exist on his own. 

Alone.

The informant’s mind continued to spiral down its haunting line of thought until the sound of a lock clicking brought him out of it. Seconds passed in silence afterwards; long enough for Izaya to wonder if he’d even heard it at all, but eventually the handle to the door turned, and Izaya hurried to his feet. Hope filled his chest; written plainly on his face alongside the happiness that was equally showing. His usual mask of emotions was forgotten in that moment, too insignificant in the face of finally having found—

“...Shizu-chan..?”

No. 

Please, no. 

The elation Izaya had felt just moments before dissipated almost instantly as a familiar blond opened the door. To be fair, Shizuo looked just as disappointed to see Izaya, but the raven felt as if his despair was greater in that moment. 

“You gotta be kidding me. I was really hoping you were some other friend of Shinra’s but it figures a flea like you would survive,” Shizuo said, his voice gruff and doing nothing to hide his irritation. 

“I’m the one who should be annoyed here. What are you doing in Shinra’s apartment? Is he here? Let me see him.” Izaya was demanding, his exhaustion forgotten for the time being as he pushed past Shizuo and went inside. Out of pure instinct he kicked off his shoes in the entrance, hurrying into the living room area only to be greeted with emptiness. 

The place looked relatively like it usually did, with the exception of a few wrappers here and there, and a single cup of noodles that had been left on the coffee table. But nobody else was there, and checking the bedrooms only confirmed his suspicions. Shizuo was here alone. 

The lock to the front door could be heard sliding back into place as Shizuo closed them in, making himself feel more secure despite the fact that his enemy had gone and invaded his makeshift home. Normally Shizuo would have roared at the other to leave and perhaps chased him out of Ikebukuro, but under the given circumstances he had managed to reign in his urge to kill the other. 

For now. 

Sighing loudly through his nose, Shizuo let Izaya waste his time looking for the doctor as he picked up the trash he’d left from just a bit ago. He brought it to the kitchen, throwing it away in the already too full trash can before leaning against the counter, watching Izaya closely. 

“Shinra isn’t here, where did he go?” The raven finally asked, coming back to the living room and taking a seat on the couch. 

“I don’t know where he went, they all left. I haven’t seen them since the day they dropped the bombs,” Shizuo answered truthfully. 

There was no point in hiding it. Starting a fight now would only bring those two...whatever they were—up to cause trouble. Shizuo knew they were there, having purposely been avoiding them so as to just keep to himself. It had worked so far.

Izaya seemed to catch on to Shizuo’s cooperation, sighing heavily as he finally allowed himself to relax despite the disappointing news that his one and only friend was indeed not there. He leaned back against the cushions, closing his eyes for what felt like the first time in years as he let his guard down just enough to rest a bit. Under normal circumstances he’d never do so in front of Shizuo, but when faced with the decision Izaya decided he trusted Shizuo not to kill him more than those things roaming the city. More than anything though was the desperate need for sleep calling him. It was going on almost three days now, and honestly his body was giving out. He didn’t have the strength or the will to stay awake much longer. 

Shizuo seemed to notice it as well as he watched Izaya drifting off. Looking closer he could see the dark circles under his eyes; the exhaustion obvious among the flea’s entire being. It would have been the perfect opening, but there was no real win in getting the other when he was in such an obviously exhausted state. The blond rolled his eyes, his face set in a frown as he walked over to the informant, crossing his arms over his chest as he gave his legs a none-too-kind kick.

“Oi flea, get up,” he demanded, kicking his legs a second time. Izaya frowned in response, opening his eyes to glare at the brute.

“What?!” He snapped, before realizing how loud he had been and correcting himself, “I’ve been awake for days, Shizu-chan. I’m not in the mood to fight. If you’re going to insist then just kill me now because I’m not playing our game of cat and mouse today.”

“Actually louse, I was going to suggest you sleep in the other room. There a futon in there but if you would rather sleep on this tiny ass couch then fine.”

Oh, well that was unexpected. 

Hospitality of any sort was the last thing Izaya was prepared for, frowning now not because he had been disturbed, but rather because of his confusion. 

“Look, we may hate each other’s guts but I hate those things more,” the blond elaborated, stepping back to his original spot to lean against the counter, “They’re dangerous, and I know what it’s like to have to face them. The way I see it we have two choices. One, continue hating each other, fight, and possibly get mauled to death or two, still continue hating each other but putting it aside long enough to figure shit out. Your choice.”

For once, something Shizuo was saying made sense. Izaya hated to admit it, but they had a much better chance of surviving things if they worked together. And what was more, he wouldn’t be alone...

“Fine, we work together,” Izaya said after a long moment of contemplation, forcing himself to leave the comfort of the couch as he got to his feet, “But as soon as I can I’m leaving you. And you don’t get to follow me or complain, no matter what.”

“Good riddance,” Shizuo scoffed, rolling his eyes and leaving it at that. There was really nothing more to say between them, the deal made and both agreeing. 

Without another word Izaya carried himself to the spare room, glad to see that there was in fact a futon. It looked untouched, and Izaya could only surmise Shizuo had taken the actual bed in Shinra’s room. He huffed at that, but couldn’t bring himself to go back out to argue over who should get the bed when really all he wanted was to sleep. 

There was little care in the way Izaya threw his bag down, his fur-lined coat falling on top of it along with his jeans. If Shizuo was standing guard and there was only the unsuspecting clickers a few floors down then he figured it was safe enough to get comfortable. He didn’t think twice about it, practically asleep by the time his head hit the pillow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope those that are reading this are enjoying the story so far. 
> 
> Let me know your thoughts in the comments! ☆


	3. Adventure Awaits

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello lovelies,
> 
> Chapter three is finally here! I seem to be doing well getting out at least one chapter within a week's time if not earlier, so let's hope that keeps up!
> 
> Enjoy! ☆

The hours passed slowly as Shizuo waited for Izaya to wake up. At first he’d thought it wouldn’t take too long; that the flea would be awake to bother him in no time. He himself could never get more than a few hours at a time. But it dawned on him once the sun had set and it had become night that Izaya was probably catching up. He’d been dead on his feet when he arrived, so it made sense that he would sleep longer than usual; which was fine. It meant he didn’t have to deal with the louse for now, and he could do what he wanted without being annoyed. Not that there was much to do at the moment. With no power, being stuck inside was uneventful to say the least.

Once the night was upon him though, it only seemed to be worse. The things outside were more active at night. The undeveloped ones made the most sound, groaning and shouting every now and then with their voices that still sounded somewhat human. Shizuo hated those the most. They were the most common of them out there; infected people still trying in vain to stop themselves from devolving into a complete monster. It never worked though. He idly thought about the injured woman who had approached them for help with her child. She’d been bitten, and even Shizuo knew enough at this point to understand the implications.

Did she change too..?

Probably, and more than likely the others had been sitting ducks. He was worried for them, even if they had gone and left him behind. He wasn’t dumb; he knew they would never do that without a good reason. Still, Shizuo felt a bit like he’d been abandoned. He couldn’t help the somber sting of pain he felt every time he remembered running after them, turning countless corners as he searched for the people he trusted most. He never did find any trace, and so he’d gone back to Shinra’s apartment, wondering—hoping—they would know to come back for him.

They never did.

Too many days had passed at this point, and Shizuo was getting restless. He couldn’t stay here forever. The building was slowly collecting more of those creatures on the lower levels. The ones who were more infected liked dark places; he figured it was only a matter of time before the building would have too many of them, and to have them any closer to him would be too risky. He needed to leave, to head out and...survive, he supposed. He wanted to head out of Ikebukuro the way he had originally intended to with the others; hoping vainly that he might happen across something—anything—that would let him know they were okay and maybe, just maybe, where to find them.

Hours passed as Shizuo eventually moved to what had been Shinra’s room. It was dark, the blond fumbling around until he found the bed. He flopped down into it, not bothering to pull the sheets over himself as he laid there, still thinking. Shizuo was sure he’d never had so much time to do nothing else other than let his mind wander before, and had decided he didn’t like it. It was too much; too many heavy thoughts coming back to him, haunting him much like the sounds of monsters in the cityscape down below.

It was only when the sky started to brighten with colors of orange and pink rather than the blackness of night that Shizuo realized he must have dosed off. It felt like nothing; like he’d only blinked the hours away despite being obviously tired himself. It didn’t matter though. The light was enough to keep him up, and Shizuo was out of bed for the day within another hour.

Walking into the living room Shizuo was almost startled by the smell of...coffee? He had almost forgotten Izaya was there at all between their brief talk and Shizuo’s wandering thoughts but sure enough, there he was. The raven looked much better than the day before, even if he still looked dirty and tired; it was an improvement. It felt weird seeing him that way; nothing like his usually well put together self Shizuo was used to encountering. His hair was messy from sleep, unwashed and sticking out more than usual. His clothes didn’t look much better, just as unclean and unkempt as the rest of the flea.

“Oi, I see you don’t have a problem helping yourself to the kitchen,” Shizuo said, frowning only slightly. He supposed it would be unfair to team up and then call dibs, but it still annoyed him. It felt like Izaya was invading his space and things when really he didn’t have a claim.

Izaya simply rolled his eyes, his attitude towards Shizuo hardly lost even with their current circumstances.

“Shinra has a gas stove, and you left your lighter on the counter. If nothing else I could boil water and enjoy some semblance of normalcy. I was merely taking advantage of what I could find,” he said, seeing no problem with it, “Don’t tell me you haven’t been doing the same thing. Besides, we’re working together now. That means you have to share.”

Shizuo wanted to argue that last statement, but settled with a gruff, “Whatever,” instead as he moved past him, ignoring the bitter coffee for a sweetened cereal bar instead.

It wasn’t much for breakfast, but the truth was Shizuo had slowly been running out of food. That first day he had made whatever was in the fridge last until it was too warm to keep things at a safe temperature. After that he had stuck to canned goods and boxed food, but Shinra and Celty didn’t have much. They must have shopped weekly, and with only Shinra needing food anyway their supplies had been limited. Shizuo had gone out a couple of times to the corner store nearby, but the last time he had gone he’d had a run in with a couple of the infected, putting him off of the idea of going back out until he absolutely had to.

“We should leave in about an hour,” Izaya spoke up, pulling Shizuo out of his thoughts as he looked up at the other.

“Yeah, okay. There’s a hospital not too far from here, maybe a couple days walk. We should go there.”

Shizuo had suggested it without a second thought, idly thinking that it was odd how easily they had agreed on things. Except, they hadn’t actually agreed. Izaya laughed a moment later, putting a frown on Shizuo’s face in the process.

“What’s so funny flea?!” The blond snapped.

“You, you’re an idiot,” he replied, his laughs dying down as they turned to snide chuckles, “I’m the one who decides where we go. And it isn’t going to be to some hospital.”

“Why the hell not?” He asked, his voice low, a dead giveaway to the anger threatening to explode, “The others had an injured woman with them when they left. They might have taken her there and stayed for shelter.”

Izaya narrowed his eyes at the information, his red hues scanning Shizuo’s face for something more. Not lies, he knew the brute wanted to find Shinra as well, but he didn’t like the sound of them harboring an injured innocent.

“Was it a bite?” The raven finally asked, his voice devoid of the amusement it contained a few minutes before. Hell, it didn’t even sound like a question to Shizuo as much as a statement. Both of them knew the answer without the blond having to confirm it. Shizuo simply nodded, his lips pressed into a tight line.

“Shizu-chan, you’re right. They may have very well taken her to the hospital.” Izaya said, surprising Shizuo momentarily, “Hospitals are for the sick and injured. In any other situation that might make them a safe place but right now, that’s what makes them the most dangerous. Do you know how many people must have gone there in the beginning of all this chaos? Too many. I’d be willing to bet anything now that the building is crawling with clickers. It’d be suicide.”

Shizuo frowned deeply as he listened to the other, annoyed as he realized Izaya was probably right. But something else caught his attention.

“Clickers?” The blond repeated questioningly, “What are those?”

Izaya rolled his eyes, an obvious gesture meant to wordlessly insult Shizuo’s intelligence; something that did not go unnoticed by Shizuo.

“Clickers, it’s the name I’ve given some of the infected. They’re the ones with the more advanced infections. The fungus eventually grows over their faces, distorting them and rendering them blind. They click, sort of, like some kind of crude attempt at echolocation. But their blindness doesn’t take away from their brutality. Don’t underestimate them.”

Shizuo took in the information with a nod. It made sense. He’d never bothered to give them a name before because there hadn’t really been a need.

“...We still don’t know they didn’t stay at the hospital.” Shizuo replied finally, earning a rather animated sigh from Izaya as the raven finished his coffee and put his cup in the sink.

“I’m not going to argue with your single-celled brain. We aren’t going to the hospital and that’s final. Shinra wouldn’t put himself or Celty in that kind of danger. Besides, there would be no point in staying. Knowing him he went off somewhere else.” The raven replied, annoyed as he left the kitchen, putting some distance between them. His hand was itching to grab the knife in his pocket and settle this like they usually would.

“Oh yeah? Well then where the hell did they go?” Shizuo sneered, “If you know so much then tell me—“

“I don’t know!” Izaya snapped loudly, shouting over him. He hadn’t meant to be so loud, both of them shutting up immediately as they listened intently. Izaya had thought that just for a bit they would survive with the clickers down a few floors, that surely they could get along just long enough to get out of there, but it was proving far harder than he thought. The relationship was too explosive to be considered safe.

“...I don’t know...” Izaya repeated, finally breaking the silence once he was sure they hadn’t been heard, “I don’t like the idea of being stuck alone or together either. I want to find them just like you do. So for once, just trust me.”

Shizuo narrowed his eyes at the other, watching him with those intense brown eyes that Izaya could never fully get a read on. Izaya apparently had nothing more to say or any desire to actually hear Shizuo agree. It went unsaid as the raven left the room, going into the bathroom and locking the door without another word.

The blond turned away then, letting out a loud sigh through his nose. It had been less than a day and already they were nearly at each other’s throats. It came naturally; the need to destroy each other was engraved in them after years of fighting. Shizuo wanted to have hope that they could make this work though, for no other reason other than to survive. They had a common enemy between them, one that was far more important they face together than apart. More than anything Shizuo was afraid to face the alternative. If they failed to make this alliance work then one of them, or even both of them...

He didn’t want to think about it.

Turning into one of those creatures was a fate worse than death, and Shizuo didn’t wish that even on Izaya, despite his hatred for the louse.

The idea alone was nauseating, leaving the blond feeling unsettled with the small breakfast he had consumed. He pushed the thoughts away for now, going back to Shinra’s room to look around for a bag. If they were going to be leaving soon then he might as well pack. He didn’t have much of his own, but anything useful Shinra and Celty had he was sure they wouldn’t mind him taking.

While Shizuo packed, Izaya took his time in the bathroom. The water to the building hadn’t been turned off, so he could get in a shower of sorts. With no power it meant there was no hot water so really it was just him jumping in and out of the cold stream as he tried to get clean. His teeth were chattering by the end of it, his whole body shivering in retaliation to being subjected to such harsh treatment. Izaya wasn’t sure if it was worth it in the end. He was clean for all of five minutes before he was getting dressed in the same clothes as before. He felt dirty again almost instantly, grimacing as the dirt clung to his freshly washed skin.

Izaya made a mental note to snag some clothes on their way through the city. He wasn’t going to wear the same pair of dirty clothes over and over again no matter what state the world was in

Exiting the bathroom, Izaya stepped out to find Shizuo on the couch. His too long legs reached across the length of it, his feet hanging off the edge without a care as he looked up from his book. Izaya vaguely noted it to be a fictional one involving aliens, no doubt something Celty had picked out to indulge her fears on the matter.

“I take it you’re ready to leave?” Izaya asked, his tone carrying the slightest air of annoyance as he walked past, grabbing his own bag from the spare bedroom.

“Yeah, just waiting on you flea,” Shizuo returned, closing the book and slipping it into the bag he’d found. Inside there was a few snacks, the last bottle of water he’d had and his smokes. He couldn’t think of much more to bring.

Izaya’s bag was just as light. He had intentions of picking up on their way though, already planning a route in his head. It wasn’t perfect, and it might take them a bit out of their way, but it would be worth it if they could reach the department store nearby before moving on. There they could collect from multiple stores without being out in the open. His only worry was that they would be infested with clickers and stalkers.

“There’s a department store just west of here,” Izaya announced, slipping the straps of his bag over his shoulders, “I want to go there first so we can stock up on supplies. We have to scope it out first. If it doesn’t look too over run then we’ll go inside. And if it’s too risky we’ll find other places along the way.”

Shizuo nodded in agreement. It sounded like a pretty solid plan with the exception of their actual destination, something Izaya had yet to fill him in on.

“And—? Just where exactly are we headed to anyway? Did you finally come up with an idea about where the others are?” Shizuo asked, his tone level despite his mild annoyance.

“Actually, no,” Izaya replied coolly, “We aren’t searching for them. Running around looking for people who might not even be here at all will only exhaust us and our supplies. We can’t be chasing ghosts. I think it’d be better instead if I try and make contact with a special client of mine. I think he might be able to better help us.”

The blond frowned at that, angry that Izaya would rather spend his time looking for some stupid client rather than their friends.

Well, Shizuo’s friends anyway.

“What? What the hell kind of plan is that? You came all this way looking for Shinra and now you’re going to look for some dumb client who just as equally might not be here? I thought you were supposed to be smart.” Shizuo said gruffly, finally fed up.

He didn’t like how easily Izaya was abandoning their search for the others. It made his fists clench instinctively. If he had had a choice they never would have separated. Maybe then he wouldn’t be here dealing with the flea. Shizuo would be with people he knew he could trust instead of Izaya who was more likely to leave him behind to save his own ass.

“This ‘dumb’ client of mine is an executive of the Awakusu-kai.” Izaya said, his own voice was low; steady unlike their last disagreement, “If you’re that hell-bent on finding the others then fine; we separate. But we’d have better luck looking for Shiki-san. I know a few places where we’re likely to make contact unlike the others where I have zero indications on their whereabouts. And more than that, I’m hoping to procure a bit of information and maybe a few weapons. Now you can either follow my lead or walk the streets alone until some stalker gets their chance at you. Which is it?”

Shizuo felt like a child being scolded, knowing full well that what Izaya was saying made sense. Resentment burned in his lungs, but the breath he let out helped to relieve the tension just enough to keep him from throwing a punch at the other.

There was a long silence between them, Izaya staring a hole through the back of Shizuo’s head while the other stared out of the glass doors that led to the balcony. Eventually, he moved towards them, opening them up and stepping out to look down.

“...Fine, we do it your way,” he said, putting a hand to the edge of the balcony wall before he hopped over it.

Izaya was startled to see him do so, watching as Shizuo’s hands grasped the ledge for a moment more before he let go and the sound of his feet hitting the landing below them could be heard.

“What the hell are you doing?” Izaya sneered, leaning over to meet Shizuo’s gaze from the floor below, “We could have just gone down the stairs you know.”

“And face those clicker things? It’s easier if we just jump down a floor at a time. We’re both plenty capable.”

Shizuo spoke as if it was obvious, and while Izaya didn’t like the idea of sneaking past them again he wasn’t quite convinced this way was better.

Still, he didn’t argue it. Instead he followed Shizuo over the edge, hanging for a moment to calculate the swing of his legs before he landed next to the blond brute. The look on Shizuo’s face was smug; the blond obviously pleased to have made a decision that Izaya was—albeit reluctantly—cooperating with.

“Get that look off your face,” Izaya said with a roll of his eyes as he brushed past Shizuo to continue the decent down to the sixth floor. Shizuo seemed unbothered by the comment, but was more focused on Izaya being ahead. It might have been childish, but Shizuo wanted to be first, hopping down to the sixth floor balcony and then the fifth before he reached the fourth in no time at all.

The look on the raven’s face was unimpressed as he followed suit, landing with much more grace on the fifth floor below. If Shizuo wanted to be first then that was fine with him. He could be the one to warn Izaya of any trouble he ran into; however, by the time they were both on the ground it seemed that really there wasn’t anything to run into. Outside the building things were quiet for now. There was no sign of anything out to get them.

It was actually a relief, one that Izaya expressed with only a sigh as he turned his back to the blond and started to walk. There was no need to say anything at this point. With no enemies to face the path was clear for them to start in the direction of the department store. Izaya had briefly wondered if Shizuo was really going to join him but the sound of footsteps lazily trailing behind was an obvious indicator. It was official; they were partners in this god forsaken hell, watching each other’s backs as they passed through the rubble of the city.

For the most part, their journey was uneventful. Izaya led them through the back streets and alleys of Ikebukuro, keeping them off the main road when he could. The infected could be anywhere but stalkers especially seemed to have their eyes on the open road as they looked for prey.

Hours passed by with little trouble. Izaya had developed a hate for walking absolutely everywhere in the city he once knew only love for. Public transportation had been a true blessing. Idly he thought that perhaps they could steal—was it still considered stealing—a vehicle, but with the streets so full of rubble it might be more hassle than it was worth. Sure, he could have the brute put that strength of his to good use but if they moved locations again then they’d be starting all over. And that was even assuming they could find someplace to settle down.

The thoughts running through his mind felt jumbled, and Izaya gave a near silent sigh as he rubbed at his face. Shizuo was watching him closely from behind, his attention pulled from their surroundings by the raven’s quiet shift in demeanor. He looked tired, more so than earlier as their trek through the city ruins pulled at whatever energy he had managed to get back from sleeping. Shizuo had to admit he felt the same. With little rest or food they were both being pushed towards their limits again. He wondered silently just how much longer it would be until they arrived. 

Shizuo had to guess that it was only an hour more before they stopped, Izaya bringing them to the alley entrance so they could view the large department store across the street. It looked rough, the building next to it fairly dilapidated as well as burned. Some of the flames had appeared to reach the department building as well, but the damage looked minimal other than the unstable structures. 

“There’s no way the infected haven’t found their way inside,” Izaya spoke up, his voice soft, but not particularly quiet, “The question is to what extent. Just a few I think we could handle if we had to. We need to get closer, get a good look before we decide.”

The blond could agree well enough with that, though the thought of having to face the infected made him uneasy. He didn’t like fighting them. Their bodies were still too human-like for comfort, and anyway, he knew that’s what they had been; people, living their lives with friends and family alongside them. 

He grunted in acknowledgement, letting Izaya lead once more as they walked closer. The area sounded quiet at first, but as they got closer they could hear the fain clicks and chirps. Izaya’s carmine eyes scanned the building thoroughly, keeping to the shadows of the neighboring unit as he finally got to glance inside a window.

It looked mostly like he expected it to. Dust and debris had settled inside from the destruction the bombs had caused, and the once neatly ordered shelves were in disarray, some knocked over completely. Back just a little ways into the first floor was a clicker, shambling a few steps here and there but was mostly still. And just to the right was a pair of stalkers. They too looked complacent and calm, looking around and listening in the dim atmosphere, their eyes orange with an otherworldly glow. Over all it didn’t look like there were many, which Izaya took as a good sign that the situation on the upper floors would be similar. 

“Alright, I think we can make this work,” Izaya spoke lowly, stepping away from the window and out of the possible line of sight of the stalkers inside, “We go up the fire escape to a higher level and skip the ground floor. They’re less likely to be in the upper levels. We grab what we need and then we get out of here as fast as possible. Sound good?”

Shizuo nodded in reply, “Yeah, fine by me.”

Together, they walked around the large building until they found the fire escape. It looked a bit beaten up honestly, but Shizuo was sure it would do just fine still if they were careful. 

“You first, flea. Let’s get this over with already.” Shizuo grunted, eyeing the unstable fixture, “And don’t forget food, I’m starving.”

“Didn’t you bring anything that was left at Shinra’s?” He asked, raising a brow at the other before he strapped forward. He was eyeing the stability of the structure as well before he decided it should be fine, making a jump for the ladder that didn’t reach the ground before pulling himself up. 

Yeah but it’s cereal bars and cup ramen. And the cereal bars aren’t really enough and I don’t have anything to cook the noodles with.” Shizuo spoke as if it was dumb of Izaya to suggest the meager food he’d brought along, but Izaya was much more confident in the idea that Shizuo was the stupid one in this conversation. 

“You protozoan, why did you even bring the ramen if you can’t cook it just anywhere? Where did you think you were going to get boiling water from?”

Shizuo scoffed in reply as he made his way up as well, though with less grace than the raven had managed. 

“Shut up. At least I brought food,” he replied. 

“So did I,” Izaya hummed, shrugging as they climbed the stairs up the side of the building, “But it’s the last of my supply. Just some protein bars. Don’t worry though. We’ll find something better than your junk food along the way. I’m sure there will be a few non perishable items in the food court and once we’re out of here we can hit whatever stores we see and take what we need. We aren’t in danger of starving just yet.”

The blond seemed unconvinced, but kept up silently with only the grumpy look on his face to indicate his annoyance. Izaya’s plan made enough sense he supposed, even if something inside of him constantly wanted to disagree with anything he came up with. It was of little importance just yet though, as soon enough they reached the entrance they were looking for. 

“Well, here we go,” the raven spoke, his voice instinctively quieter, “May we get through this alive.”

It was meant to be a joke, but somehow it just didn’t feel that funny as they walked into the dim building.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks again for reading guys. Be sure to leave some feedback and encouragement! ☆


	4. Spores

Bits of light filtered through the dirty windows that were well spaced on the walls of the department store. It wasn’t much for light, but it was enough to see what it was they were dealing with. The store they were in was full of clothes, mostly women’s from what Izaya could tell. It wasn’t at all what they needed, but more than anything he was happy to note the lack of infected as he walked around a bit.

“So far so good, but let’s keep our voices low and avoid making a ruckus.” He said to Shizuo, the blond nodding next to him before taking a few steps of his own.

Shizuo was in his own little world as they looked around. He stuck close to Izaya, his brown eyes scanning over every bit of available space. He hadn’t been crazy about this idea to begin with, and now that they were there he was even less enthusiastic. It felt wrong walking into what could essentially be a death trap. It was unnatural, and his instincts were screaming at him to grab the flea by his arm and drag him out without any of the supplies they needed, but really it wouldn’t do them any good at this point.

With nothing to say between them the pair walked on. They easily made their way out of the small store of women’s clothing, walking along the more open area as they searched for supplies. One by one they found things; a couple of flashlights, some batteries, knives, first aid supplies and what Izaya might consider to be best of all; clothes.

For men.

He grinned as he approached the racks, looking through them quickly as he wasted no time in picking out a couple of shirts, pants and more than a few pairs of socks and boxer briefs. They were all pretty similar to his usual attire, but that’s just how he was, folding them as tightly as he could to fit them in the bag. He could barely get his backpack closed but it worked, even if it was bulky.

“What do you need so much for?” Shizuo asked, looking at a few things himself, “You can’t carry that much as it is. It’s a waste of space.”

Shizuo—for once—may have had a point, but Izaya was ignoring it in favor of enjoying the idea of being completely clean once again when he got the chance.

“I can only stand wearing the same grimy clothes over and over for so long, Shizu-chan. And besides, your bag is still pretty empty. Between the two of us I suspect we’ll be fine. You should grab a change of clothes as well. And a jacket too. It may only be the beginning of October but the weather is only going to get colder. Even you aren’t impervious to dying of exposure.”

The brute gave a small frown in response. Mostly because he didn’t like Izaya telling him what to do, but part of his annoyance was also due to the fact that he was right. It was already chilly out at night; summer giving way to autumn as the seasons continued despite the halt of society.

Shizuo used to like this time of year. The holidays were nice; he liked being able to do things he normally couldn’t or to buy those sweets they only sold this time of year. Suddenly he was realizing none of that was possible anymore. Without people left to celebrate them the holidays were really nonexistent.

Sighing, the blond did as Izaya suggested without comment, picking out some clean—normal—clothes and grabbing a jacket as well. It took up more room than he liked in his own bag, but it fit, and finally it seemed like they could get the last thing they were there for: food.

It wasn’t really a priority there, seeing as they had to find the food court, but Izaya had agreed to at least look while they were there, even if they would more than likely end up stopping by a shop or two as well once they left to continue their journey.

Silently, they walked down the unmoving escalators to a lower floor, picking up a few more small things here and there as they looked around. The flashlights were already coming in handy, allowing them to see much more clearly as they reached darker areas. Shizuo kicked any rubble in his way to the side as he shuffled around. They must have been near the side of the building that had caught fire, as there was much more destruction, more dust and debris, and a musty smell to the air. No doubt it was from the sprinklers attempting to put out the fire. The stagnant water would have soaked everything.

“Nothing here is of much use,” Izaya said, loud enough for Shizuo to hear him from his spot a few feet away, “I say we head out. We can find food elsewhere.”

Shizuo opened his mouth to reply before he immediately closed it. Off in the darkness he could see a faint orange glow, much like that of the eyes of stalkers. It was almost instant the way his adrenaline spiked, his feet carrying him backwards as quietly as possible as he kept his eyes on it. It wasn’t moving, making him more nervous. Usually these types were violent, only biding their time long enough to stalk their prey into a corner.

Without realizing it, Shizuo had backed up directly into Izaya. The smaller male gave a grunt, stumbling before he caught himself and returned the rude gesture with a shove.

“Oi brute, watch whe—“ Izaya didn’t even get to finish his sentence as Shizuo clamped a hand over his mouth. His other found its way to the back of the raven’s head, holding him steady with a gentleness Izaya hadn’t thought Shizuo capable of.

Quickly, his mind pushed away the shock, kicking back into gear as his hands came up to his face, pulling at Shizuo in an attempt to get his hand off. The blond only tightened his hold, though marginally, making Izaya freeze instinctively in an attempt to show compliance. His heart was racing in his chest, this feeling of tension between them all too familiar. It was like before; when Shizuo would have him nearly cornered, nearly able to land those monstrous blows. Izaya had always managed to get away though, never quite getting caught. That’s probably why this was much more nerve wracking. Shizuo had his head in his grasp, and so easily he could just apply the pressure needed to crush it. The thought made him nauseous. Izaya wouldn’t let that happen, not if he could help it. His hand slid into his pocket, grasping the cool handle of his knife and pulling it out. If it had to come down to him or Shizuo then Izaya was more than willing to—

“Do you see it...?” Shizuo whispered, leaning his head down close to Izaya’s ear. The moment Shizuo spoke the raven froze, griping the knife tighter. The blond had spoken without hostility, asking him if he saw...what exactly?

Izaya’s carmine eyes quickly scanned the area, trying to spot whatever it was that had Shizuo’s attention. He couldn’t see much of anything in the dim atmosphere around them, but then it caught his eye; the orange gleam in the distance. It looked to be something curled up in the corner of the far wall, unmoving and hidden except for the soft bits of bioluminescence that gave it away. Izaya knew immediately what it was, understanding washing over him along with relief. He slipped his knife back into his pocket, reaching up his hand to tap gently at the one over his mouth.

Shizuo seemed to understand the motion, slowly releasing the flea. He was completely unaware of how close the raven had come to attempting to slash at whatever vital point of his body he could reach, but at the moment it was probably best. Right now their focus needed to be on the infected.

“...I don’t hear it...and it hasn’t moved,” Izaya whispered, barely loud enough to be heard, “Maybe it’s not interested...”

It was a lame suggestion, seeing as all of the infected were only too happy to jump on the chance to get at another healthy host, but Izaya couldn’t quite discern why it hadn’t already attacked them. They had been speaking earlier as they rummaged, making enough noise for anything in range to hear. Something was off.

Reaching into his bag, Izaya pushed his things around to pull out his flashlight. Clickers were blind, so they wouldn’t see the light. The only danger now would be if it turned out to be a stalker. Their eyesight may be poorly but it was well enough to recognize food and the disturbance of light.

“Don’t, Izaya...” Shizuo spoke lowly as he watched him. His muscles tensed instinctively, ready for a fight he didn’t want to embrace. Anger was simmering just below the surface now. They hadn’t faced these things together before, and already Izaya was taking risks he didn’t like.

Not needing Shizuo’s approval, Izaya clicked on the light, shining it directly at where they could see the glow of bioluminescence. His ears were ringing, the only thing audible to himself being the rapid beating of his heart. He swore he’d never been so tense in his life; never before had humans graced him with such a mixture of fear and concern for his wellbeing.

Immediately the light illuminated the corner, allowing them to cast their eyes upon a mass of fungus. Izaya could see Shizuo brace himself out of the corner of his eye, but he kept his gaze ahead in case it moved; however, nothing happened as the seconds passed. The mass didn’t shift, flail, croak, or click as it lay there, looking almost as if it was dead.

The thought came to him quickly, invading his mind and bringing with it a sense of understanding. The fungus had been using people as living hosts, and all living things died. It was so obvious Izaya wanted to kick himself. The thing was dead, just not by murder. Obviously it had found a dark moist environment to die in, which made sense; it was the type of environment fungi thrived in.

Letting out a heavy sigh Izaya finally blinked, his shoulders relaxing just a bit as he brought up his hand to rub at his face. He still felt shaken, between thinking Shizuo was going to do something and the fear of a fight even his legs felt a bit wobbly.

“It’s one of them, right?” Shizuo was the first to speak, breaking the tension as he still looked at the heap, “Is it sleeping?”

Izaya had to physically hold back a laugh. From the frown on Shizuo’s face he was none too sly about it, managing to keep it to a low chuckle.

“Those monsters don’t sleep Shizu-chan,” he said, the humor yet to leave his voice, “Don’t be an idiot. It’s dead. Just a pile of dying fungi that’s no longer out to get us. It makes perfect sense that we would find something like that here I suppose. It’s dark and damp; the perfect environment for a fungus to grow and eventually release its spores, just like in nature.”

“Can the spores infect us?” Shizuo asked in reply. It was an innocent question, less to do with real thought and more to do with coming naturally in the line of questioning.

However, Izaya’s expression changed immediately. Something in his mind had clicked when the other spoke. Of course; he was being stupid. The spores would be the perfect way to spread to an unsuspecting human.

How could he have missed such an important fact?

“We need to go, now,” the raven spoke lowly, looking around. He didn’t see anything they could use to cover their mouths at the moment. They could head back upstairs, grab something—anything—that could be used as a mask and—

What if they were already infected?

The thought alone was enough to make him freeze, his eyes widening as he brought a hand up over his mouth. They had been thinking this whole time that they only needed to avoid the ones who were alive only for them to be entirely unaware of the danger they were walking into now. One breath would be all it would it would take; one breath that would seal their fate, turning them into the same hideous monsters as the one in the corner.

Izaya couldn’t breathe. His lungs burned with the need, trying desperately to pull in air anyway. He was fighting it, lost in the fear that if he did he’d be one of them too.

Shizuo had been watching Izaya closely after he spoke; watching as the raven trailed off and into his own thoughts. He looked...different; scared even. It was incredibly uncomfortable to look at. Shizuo was so used to that damned smirking mask that Izaya always wore that seeing him like this now felt like an incredible invasion of privacy. Perhaps more important though was the trigger. Shizuo had asked about the spores infecting them, and almost immediately Izaya wanted to leave. Even Shizuo knew the answer then.

“Fuck,” the word tumbled from the blond’s lips before he could catch it, his brain connecting the pieces just as quick. They were in danger if that thing over there was producing infectious spores. Shizuo idly thought that because it was a good distance away on the opposite side of the area that they might be okay, but even so they couldn’t stay.

Without thinking he grabbed Izaya’s arm, pulling the informant along and out of his thoughts with a regrettable gasp. Izaya was breathing heavily for air as if he had just run from one end of Ikebukuro to the other, though he looked just about sick because of it. Shizuo didn’t care at the moment. What was important was getting out of there quickly. He half dragged Izaya back up the escalators, jogging, trying to remember which way they had come in through when Izaya suddenly yanked his arm from his grip. There was a split second where he thought the other was about to stop, but just as he turned to ask Izaya ran ahead.

Out; he needed out of there.

Shizuo followed Izaya’s frantic pace back towards where they’d entered. They ran past the racks of clothes and shelves containing just about anything and everything, knocking some out of the way without a care. They clattered to the floor with a loud sound that echoed through the building, surely alerting whatever could hear them to their presence. Shizuo wanted to say something, to stop Izaya, but just as he considered doing so they reached the door to the fire escape.

Izaya burst through the door as quickly as he possibly could, his feet coming to an abrupt and ungraceful halt as he practically ran into the guardrail. He was panting, taking in as much of the clean air as he could get before his stomach clenched painfully and he relinquished whatever was left of his coffee from that morning. It wasn’t much, the bitter taste of coffee and bile attacking his tongue as he was reduced to the occasional dry heave. He could feel Shizuo’s presence behind him, watching as he was subjected to the consequences of his moment of panic. Shame rose within him, and Izaya didn’t make to move away from where he leaned over the rail, his eyes trained on the ground below.

Knowing that Izaya needed space, Shizuo kept to himself. He leaned against the door frame, lighting one of the few cigarettes he had left and taking a long drag. Honestly he understood. Even if it was weird seeing Izaya in such a vulnerable state Shizuo was not beyond understanding it. Though he’d never expected the flea to freak out like that. Whatever calm composure he’d had had been shattered almost instantly in the face of becoming infected. Bit by bit though Shizuo could see it coming back. Minutes passed, and it was when he was about finished with his cigarette that the other spoke finally.

“We can’t be sure neither of us was infected...” he said, his voice low and hoarse sounding, “We’ll know for sure in a day or two, but Shizu-chan, if I turn...kill me.”

The words were spoken so softly that Shizuo had strained to hear them, but there was no denying what he’d said. Shizuo was stunned for a moment, caught off guard at the order of death from a man he could never kill in the past no matter how hard he’d tried. It didn’t feel right hearing that.

Shizuo was silent for a moment, but eventually he nodded, taking a last drag of his cigarette before putting it out, “Yeah, just be sure to do the same for me.”

Both of them seemed to have an understanding. They wouldn’t become one of them, and if they were lucky, they wouldn’t have to worry about dying either. Izaya sincerely hoped they hadn’t walked in there only to be infected. His stomach was still doing flips, his skin itchy and his mind focused on where to go from here. What would be the plan if they were infected? They couldn’t be around other people, that would only put them at risk too. They would have to wait out the incubation period.

Two days.

“We’re going to have to find a place to hunker down for a couple days. Somewhere around here there has to be a moderately small building we can clear. We’ll grab food along the way. Maybe even just stay in a convenience store.” Izaya spoke as he thought, looking around. He couldn’t see much around them from the back of the building, but they’d make it.

From behind them there was a loud crash, the sound emitting from the building they had just come out of. Immediately Shizuo shut the door, cursing. They’d been too loud in their desperation to get out, and now the infected that had been spread out inside were headed in their direction.

“Let’s go—“ Izaya spoke again, and without waiting for a response he was running down the stairs of the fire escape. He looked like himself again, focused, jumping about and out of reach before Shizuo could do anything to stop him. Not that he wanted to. Getting away from there was his number one priority.

The raven led them away from the department store and once again through the zigzagging alleys. He was glad for the apparent stupidity of the monsters. Whatever number had been coming towards them after the noise they had made didn’t seem to get any further than that, unable to pursue them outside the department store. However, that didn’t free them from the ones outside. More than once Izaya changed their course to avoid a stray or two, keeping them safe for now.

“How much longer are we going to continue to walk through these back streets?” Shizuo asked after about another hour of walking, “We can hardly catch a glimpse of all the places we are walking past. I know for a fact we’ve missed about twenty damn convenience stores.”

The blond’s voice was obviously annoyed, something Izaya didn’t much care for since he was supposed to be trusting the informant and his ability to guide them safely through the ruins of the city, which he’d done a great job of doing so far. He knew this place better than almost anyone, so it would only stand to reason that he was well aware of the shops they were passing, choosing to do so on purpose to minimize their exposure. 

“Calm down and shut up I know what I’m doing. The Awakusu-kai run a number of art galleries in town as fronts for their operations. We won’t be able to make it today, but I wanted to at least make up a good distance so that tomorrow we won’t be doing as much walking all at once. We have to pace ourselves each day or we aren’t going to last. In about another block we will make a stop.”

Shizuo looked like he wanted to argue, but admittedly that was mostly just because it was the flea talking, even if it made sense. So he kept quiet, pulling out another cigarette and lighting it to keep himself calm and partially occupied for the time being .

Just like Izaya had said, they came across a small store on the corner within a block. It looked mostly ravaged, the windows broken as well as the doors, covering the floors with glass. Izaya gave a good look around before stepping carefully inside, walking up and down the aisles and picking up a few things. Food was number one. He was so used to going out to expensive restaurants that the food available seemed underwhelming, however; he was more than hungry, not about to be picky in their current situation where they needed strength. He grabbed snacks, bags of chips, candy even. There was some more instant noodle dishes, and he even grabbed those despite having scolded Shizuo before on that very topic. 

Within fifteen minutes Izaya had scavenged everything he could carry that he thought useful, and judging by the stuffed look of Shizuo bag, he had done the same, “Come on, there are apartments just across the street. They’re a much smaller complex than Shinra’s, maybe eight apartments total. Not to mention they’re accessed outside, so there’s no place for the infected to hang out except inside the homes. Let’s find an empty one and settle down for the night.”  
“And if we find one that isn’t empty? What if there are still some hanging around in the other apartments? Then what?” Shizuo countered, though he wasn’t totally discounting the idea. He just didn’t want to go in without a plan.

“If we have an encounter with anything then we kill them. Go straight for their brain and above all, don’t let them bite or scratch you.” The way Izaya said it made it sound so easy, but really it was anything but. Shizuo still saw those things as people. They still had some of their faces, their characteristics, their clothes. The idea alone made him feel gross; wrong. 

Without waiting for a reply, Izaya stepped back out of the store, his shoes crunching on the glass as he walked away. Shizuo didn’t let him get too far ahead, taking only a couple of strides to catch up to the short male. The apartment’s seemed fairly calm on the outside. Shizuo didn’t see anything shambling around, but that really didn’t mean anything in their current situation. He followed the raven silently up the stairs, silently agreeing that he’d rather be higher up than on the ground floor. It just felt safer.

“Here, this one,” Izaya said as he stopped in front of a door. It was seemingly at random, and Shizuo wasn’t really in the mood to ask about Izaya’s strange reasoning. Instead, he went with it, using his strength to force the door open. The security chain broke easily, the door swinging open to allow them both into the home. It was a bit of a mess, things strewn about in an obvious display of what had to of been a struggle. 

Izaya walked around, eyeing everything with that knowing gaze of his as he reached into his pocket and pulled out his knife. What for, Shizuo didn’t understand at first. He didn’t see any signs that anyone was still around, his brows furrowing as the raven took a more offensive stance as he went further in.

“Oi flea, what are you doing?” he grunted, earning an annoyed hand up from Izaya.

“Hush, I’m not convinced this place is deserted. We had to break the security chain, which can only be applied from the inside. I’d be willing to bet we find someone—or something—in the bedroom.”

As if to prove Izaya’s comment, a loud thump came from the room, startling the raven and making him hold his knife up in front of himself. He really didn’t like this. He wasn’t really suited for close combat, especially with something as disgusting as the infected.

“Get ready Shizu-chan…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sooooooo sorry for the very long wait. I'm back in classes and so it makes it hard to get up the energy to finish my work early enough to always find time to sit and write, but please-- leave a comment! I love to read them and they are very encouraging. I do plan to keep the story going, just at a bit slower pace! ☆


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